Shattered Remorse
by OrneryTexan
Summary: Courage has always been a fragil dog, but what happens when his delicate strings finally snap? COMPLETE.
1. Silhouette of a tragedy

Ch.1: Silhouette of a tragedy

In the outskirts of a town called Nowhere Kansas, there was a small house; there lived a dog family, a mother, a father, and a small pink puppy.

The puppy and his father were playing with a beach ball, when the puppy was hit with the ball, he began to cry.

"Honey you have catch the ball." His mother said, she tossed him the ball and when he caught it he began to laugh. After a few tosses between the puppy and his father, the phone started to ring.

"Oh, I'll get it." The puppy's father rushed inside and his mother followed, the beach ball dropped and instantly struck the poor puppy into the metal fence surrounding his house, he tried desperately to free himself, but he was not strong enough to pull himself out, then he cried out in fear for his parents.

They rushed out when they herd the crying, scared for their son's safety, they tried to pull him out, but it was no use.

"What are we going to do?"

"We'll have to take him to the vet, they'll know what to do."

When they finally made it to the vet, the veterinarian used a nail filler to saw off the fence, a few minutes was all it took for the fence to finally come off.

"There you go, you be more careful now."

The puppy ran around and was happy to be free, but then the veterinarian stared at the puppy's parents.

"Can I speak with you two…alone?"

Dr. Teenytodd gave the puppy a big lollypop; with joy he took it and began licking it without second thought.

"Right this way."

They walked out the door and down a long dark hallway.

"_Soon, the world will remember my brilliant work!"_ The mad doctor said in his head.

As the puppy was licking his lollypop, he herd cries for help, the curious puppy rushed by the door to see what was going on, to his horror he saw the doctor walk away, with his parents in a net, the little puppy screamed in terror and ran after him.

"Stop, let us go!" The puppy's father yelled.

"Silence, I'm only doing my job, besides you'll be much happier breeding in space."

He was stunned "S-space?

They entered a laboratory-like room with a huge rocket in the middle.

"Wa-what are you going to do?" The puppy's mother stammered.

"Just do as I say, this is for your own good." He shoved them in the rocket.

The young puppy made it to the room, and shrieked in pure fear.

"Huh, oh, I almost forgot you little one."

Dr. Teenytodd set the launch to 60 sec, then he began to chase the puppy down, they ran around the rocket, with every passing the puppy tried to set his parents free but the doctor prevented him, to finally escape, the puppy jumped down the garbage chute and ended up in the outside ally.

Then the puppy herd the raging sound of an explosion, he looked up to see that the rocket had taken off…with his parents in it. Tears formed in his eyes as he waved good-bye forever, then he broke down and cried, not in fear but in pain, a deep pain.

"Oh dear, what are you doing here all alone, what courage you have." A woman came and picked him up, and then he felt safe, salvation.

"Would you like to come home with me?" The puppy wiped away a tear and smiled. "My names Muriel, we'll have a swell time."

They walked toward an old junk looking truck, with a gruff looking man inside, but before they could get near, total darkness surrounded him, he looked franticly but could not find the woman anywhere, moments later he herd a gunshot and the only thing he could remember was the sound of his own screams.

Courage woke from his dream.

He looked and was relieved to see that Muriel was alright, the thought of loosing her always haunted him, she was the only person he had left and he could not bear the thought of it, but he always knew nothing would happen to her, nothing would take her away from him.


	2. When love dies

Ch. 2 When love dies

It was a normal day at the Bagge farmhouse, Eustace was reading his paper and Muriel was making breakfast, the sweet aroma of eggs, bacon, and sausage filled the room, Courage quickly woke from his slumber and rushed to the kitchen, her cooking always aroused his appetite, he waited at the table…until Eustace came in.

"What are you doin' sittin at the table!" He scowled, Courage whined and quickly got to the floor.

"Eustace, will there ever be a time when you're going to be nice to poor Courage?" She said in her dissatisfied tone, but the old man just smiled and happily said "Nope."

Muriel gave him his plate of food, "Well then you could just eat in the barn."

Eustace grumbled as he took his food, as he left he muttered "Stupid dog."

Muriel patted Courage's head "Don't mind him Courage." He just nodded and began eating his breakfast.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Eustace answered it and immediately shouted "We don't want any!" A tall man in a brown trench coat and a hat that covered his face walked in.

"Hello sir." He said in a deep familiar voice.

"I'm se-"

"We aint interested!" Eustace interrupted.

He began to walk away until Muriel came in.

"Who was that Eustace?"

"Nobody."

The man walked forward "Hello ma'am."

"Hello sir, what brings you here?" She said in a friendly tone, the man sat and stared.

"I'm selling insurance…life insurance."

Muriel was a little surprised "Life insurance you say!"

"Yes, as we speak, millions of people are dying and our insurance…helps…when that happens, we make sure your funeral is fully paid for."

Courage couldn't help but feel scared toward the man; his paranoia kept telling him that the man was dangerous.

"Well that's mighty kind of you to offer, but I don't think ill be needin' it."

The man raised his eyebrow "Your sure?"

"I am."

"Very well." The man got up and started to leave, but before he left he looked back at Muriel and Courage.

"I have a strong feeling we'll meet again."

Courage was rather startled by that remark.

"What a sweet man." Muriel patted Courage on the head.

As the hours passed by the man never left Courage's thoughts, suddenly Muriel waked him out of his state of thought.

"Courage I'm out of vinegar, want to come to town and get some more?"

"Mm-hmm" He said in his own language.

"Coming Eustace?"

"Not ginnin' out of this hair." He grumbled.

'Suit yourself Eustace." They both entered the old pickup and began driving to the town of Nowhere.

During that time Courage was still wondering about the man from before…his voice…it sounded so familiar, he herd that voice before…but where, he couldn't quite place his paw on it.

After only a few minutes of driving, they made it to town. Muriel parked in front of the local grocery store.

"You can wait here Courage, I wont be long." With that courage waited in the pickup, but just a few seconds later he caught glimpse of the same man.

"I shouldn't follow him, but I'm gunna." He said as he got out of the pickup and followed him to an ally.

"I've been waiting for you Courage."

"You have…wait, how do you know my name?"

"All will be known soon, and I'm sorry we had to meet like this."

"Huh, what do you mean?"

Suddenly he herd a loud gunshot, the smell of gun smoke and blood quickly came to his nose.

"Oh-no!" Courage ran off.

The man smiled "Don't worry Courage, we will meet again."

When Courage made it back, he screamed like nothing before…Muriel lying down in her growing pool of blood, Courage quickly came toward her.

"Oh my god, this cant be real."

Courage grabbed her hand…it was weak.

"C-Courage, I love you, take care of…Eustace…for me…please."

He was in tears.

"No, please don't die on me please."

Then…it was over.

"N-no…NNNNNNOOOOOOOO!"


	3. Behind the mask

-1Ch. 3 Behind the mask

It's been four days since Muriel's death, ever since the funeral Courage hasn't been himself, almost like a piece of him died along with her…he misses her.

It was late in the afternoon, courage stood alone in a desolate part of the town, a gated area with the words "Nowhere Cemetery" at the top of the gates, Courage stood at the headstone which read "Muriel N. Bagge, R.I.P, 1946-1998"

He continued to stare at the headstone with forming tears in his eyes.

"Why did it have to be this way…first my parents and now her, I failed them both…I…I lost everything."

His tears ran down cheeks, he got on his knees and closed his eyes, but then a voice broke his concentration.

"Hello there Courage."

Courage looked up to see the man in the brown trench coat, then out of nowhere he became angry, he clenched his paws and gritted his teeth and growled.

"You, Why are YOU here?"

"Hehehe…you should of bought the insurance, oh well, pity really."

He stared at the now enraged dog, how dare he say something like that, just who was he anyway.

"Who do you think you are?" Courage said angrily.

The man simply stared into the light blue sky.

"You'll know soon enough." then he strolled away.

"What does that mean?" Courage shouted.

He decided not to bother with it right then and decided to walk on home, but he couldn't help but wonder who he was, who the hell was he?

As he got home he saw Eustace grumble while sitting in his arm chair.

"Just great, not only am I stuck with that stupid dog, but now I'm going to have to order out for dinner."

When he herd this his disgust for him raised, some husband he turned out, Courage wanted to teach him a lesson more than ever but he remembered what Muriel told him, so he just held it in.

He headed up stairs to talk to a certain someone, that someone may help, even though Courage dislikes him a little bit.

He went to the attic and sat on the computer chair.

"You again, what is it now, you twit."

Courage typed in "Life Insurance"

"Whatever…searching."

Courage was sitting and waiting, he didn't like waiting.

"No search found, next time search for something that exist, you twit."

He was surprised, no life insurance here, this was a poor town, but that means that there was more to that man than meets the eye.

"Something's wrong here, and I have to find out what."

"Well take your time kid."

Courage starred at the computer, and punched the screen, cracking it, and then he left down stairs.

"Oh what a pleasant way to end a day." said the computer cynically.

Courage returned to the town, looking for a lead, a clue…heck, just about anything that would lead him the right way.

4 hours passed, he was just about to give up something caught his eye, it was that guy, he saw him sneaking around an old forsaken house just outside of town, courage followed him as he went inside.

He saw him go by a basement door and knocked, and then a familiar voice came out.

"Were you followed?"

"No."

"Alright, come in."

The man walked in and greeted three other people, Courage watched from a window which gave a view to the basement.

"Everything going according to plan?"

"Yea, that stupid dog will never know what hit him."

Courage was not surprised, but angry.

"I knew it was something against me!"

He continued to listen.

"I think the dogs getting suspicious."

"No way, if that dog tries anything funny, I"LL KILL HIM!"

Courage was shocked.

"ONLY if he tries to do something."

"I'm just glad that stupid wife is dead."

Courage growled at that remark.

"But I need that dog for my experiments."

"Oh shut up, your experiments don't even work."

"You're just jealous."

"Gentlemen please!"

The people who were arguing became silent.

"As you know, only kill him if he tries to stop us, but don't worry, he probably will."

"Sure he will…he always does."

Courage was still listening, the voices sounded so familiar, just who were these people.

"But I get to kill him." one said in a very loud tone.

"Fine…if you so insist."

"YES, finally."

"Now…I'll pay him one more visit, you guys take your positions and go from their, ya'll know what to do right?"

They all agreed, then the man rose up and turned on the light, revealing Eustace's Ma, Dr. Gerbil, and Mad Dog, Courage gasped in surprise.

"…Good…hehehehehe….HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Then he took off his hat, revealing…

"KATZ?" Courage screamed.

"That…son of a…BITCH!"

Courage gripped the ground beneath him, then something inside him snapped, all his fears, all his phobias, all gone, but a new powerful, more deadly emotion took its place…hatred.


	4. First blood

-1Ch. 4 First blood

It was the next day; Courage was waiting in the living room, expecting Katz to come at anytime.

"That bastard will pay." he kept saying to himself, then came a knock at the door, he readied himself for anything, as Eustace came by to answer the door, he muttered "Stupid dog." he just growled at him.

When he answered the door it wasn't Katz, but a teenager who was obviously not from town, he had a package in his hand that bore a similarity to the "evil package"

"Delivery mister." he then handed Eustace the package.

"What's this fer?"

"I don't know sir; someone paid me to give it to you."

Courage began thinking. "Hmmm…it could be a trap…whatever."

He was too fixed on Katz to worry about some stupid package, but as Eustace opened it, a boxing glove came out and punched him, knocking him out cold.

"What the-"

But before he could finish, Mad Dog crashed threw the window.

"I don't give a shit what Katz says, I'm going to kill you!"

Courage shrieked in terror.

"You….you…" he stammered, and then Mad Dog began to charge at him, slashing his claws.

Courage was barley dodging every move, Mad Dog grew impatient.

"GRRR, stand still maggot!"

Then he slashed Courage's side, scraping his ribs.

"Aaargh." he yelped in pain, and then Mad Dog looked at his now bloodstained claws.

"Hehehe, how amusing."

Courage then began limping into the kitchen and hid in one of the cabinets under the sink, he tried to stop the bleeding, but the cuts were deep.

"You can't hide from me forever; I can smell your blood."

Then Courage spotted nearby medical wrapping, and used it like a tourniquet.

"…There you are!"

Mad Dog opened the cabinet and grabbed him by his neck, Courage began gasping and asphyxiating.

"You know…I was the one who shot that old bitch." his eyes widened.

"I watched her fall to the ground…and I enjoyed every moment of it."

Courage suddenly snapped, then with his last ounce of strength, he freed himself from his grasp, and kicked his face and fell to the ground.

"Why you…I'll KILL YOU!"

Then he leaped at courage.

"Ugh…"

All he could do was grab a nearby item and prepare himself.

"DIE!"

Courage closed his eyes, and then herd a gasp of pain, he opened his eyes to discover Mad Dog coughing up blood, he looked down and saw that the item was a knife, and stabbed his stomach, then Mad Dog fell dead.

"Wha…did I do that, but I didn't mean to."

He got up and went to the kitchen and looked at the mirror, most of his fur was peppered red from the blood, and then he cracked a smile.

"Heh, the things I do…for revenge."


	5. The edge of sanity

-1Ch. 5: The edge of sanity

"Mad-dog has failed, you know what to do."

"Yes sir, who ever knew he had the guts to do that."

Later at the farmhouse, Courage has sleeping on the carpet in the front room; Eustace was freaked when he saw the corpse of Mad-dog in the kitchen and made Courage clean up the blood.

During his sleep, he began seeing impulses of his past life, Muriel, the farmhouse….Katz.

"Uhh…Hmm…"

Restless in his sleep, a nightmare began, he saw himself in a void of black, running franticly in search of something, anything, any form of life, then he finally saw Muriel, with a leap of joy he began running towards her, but the closer he got the more he saw her face…she seemed sad…disappointed. tried to leap into her lap, but she disappeared before he could, he quickly turned around and saw Katz starring down at him, and out of the coat he pulled a gun, pointed it to Courage's forehead, and pulled the trigger.

His screams matched the high pitched fire of the gun, then he woke up, his body felt cold because of his sweat.

"I need to get out of the house…maybe a walk will clear my mind."

Then his stomach growled… Eustace never fed him, why would he feed a "stupid dog" anyhow?

"…and fill my stomach."

He began the long walk down the dusty desert road to Nowhere, the hot desert sun was beating down on him, he was always used to driving, but he just didn't feel like it, just as he finally got into town, he spotted a familiar old recreational vehicle parked outside the store, then something popped in his head.

"DR. GERBIL!"

And sure enough, Dr. Gerbil came out with a grocery sack; Courage swiftly slid under the car and grabbed hold of the pipes.

"Just what are you up to?"

Then they arrived at his home, hole anyhow, he followed him down to his experimental room, he saw him unloading various items from the bag while talking to himself.

"That little doggie is dead meat; with this new liquid nitrogen bomb he'll be dead in his tracks."

His ears went up in fright, he was insane.

"Yes, so powerful the oxygen itself will freeze."

Courage knew he had to do something, while looking around he spotted a rusty hook among the garbage and discarded objects…then the smile came again, he chuckled and grabbed the hook.

"Its just about-GAHH!"

He looked down to see that Courage stuck the hook in his lower abdomen, he began squealing in pain as Courage started pushing the hook upward, and with all his strength sliced him wide open, the hook got stuck in his sternum and ribcage, he limped over spilling an ocean spray of blood and torrents of organs that were sliced apart.

"Now that he's taken care of…what am I going to eat?"

He looked again at the gutted cadaver, then an instinctual urge took over…and began feasting on his remains.


	6. The Real Monster

Ch. 6 the Real Monster

There's something inside me

It's, it's coming out

I feel like killing you

Let loose all the anger, held back too long

By blood runs cold

--Cannibal Corpse, Hammer Smashed Face

It was the next day, Courage kept thinking about what he did, and how good it felt.

He lied on the carpet as he usually did, he looked at the now dusty rocking chair…the chair that now ceased to rock, after a few minuets of reminiscing the phone rang, Eustace quickly picked it up and yelled.

"We 'aint got no pho-oh Ma its you, huh…right now? Fine!"

He hung up and starred at Courage.

"I need to go to me Ma's, and I 'aint goin' alone, come on ya stupid dog."

Eustace tied courage to the leash and dragged him to the old pickup truck, Courage was feeling satisfied, the farmer was leading him right to the next person, the next person to kill.

After a few minuets of driving they arrived at the old worn out trailer, Eustace rang the doorbell and his mother answered, she looked at Courage and a big smile came across her face.

"Why hello Courage, so good to see you." she said in a sweet tone.

Instead of his worried timid look, he starred straight into her eyes, then she turned to Eustace.

"Oh, here there stupid boy, what are you doing here?"

"You called me over…"

"Oh yea…my air conditioner broke…fix it ya stupid boy."

He grumbled and walked around the trailer, Ma and Courage went inside.

"I'll be right back, just make yourself at home."

She patted him and went to another room, he was disgusted that she touched him, while she was gone Courage searched the trailer for a "weapon", violent thoughts ran through his head, and started felling things he never felt before…the thrill of the kill.

He walked into the kitchen and spotted a knife on a cutting board, he smiled and grabbed it.

"Yes…this will do just fine."

As he walked out, he herd Ma talking on the phone.

"Don't worry, he's here right now…he did WHAT…both of them…your sure…fine, just leave him to me."

She hung up the phone and turned around, and right in front of her was Courage, he starred with a vicious look, and she was unaware of the deadly weapon behind him.

"So, you killed them both…didn't you Courage?" he slowly nodded.

"And now you're after me…you turned into a real MONSTER!"

Courage started growling and slowly walked closer, his paw tightened the handle of the knife.

"I'm not the monster here…" he said with anger in his voice "…YOU ARE!"

He quickly swatted her wig, exposing her pale fleshy head.

"AH, OH-NO…I'M UGLY!" then she began to bawl like a child.

"Hehehehe…then let me end your MISERY!"

Courage swiftly rose the knife and plunged it deep into Ma's skull, horrendous cracking sounds came with a ocean mist of blood, he pushed it deeper till the blade was fully lodged into the brain, then she limped over a human stump, her now lifeless eyes starred blankly into nothingness.

Courage then laughed hysterically and pulled the knife out, bits of grey matter were stuck on the jagged ends.

"Oh my what a mess, I guess you're next Katz…I"LL MAKE YOU SUFFER!"


	7. Unforgiven

-1Ch. 7: Unforgiven

What I've felt, what I've known  
Turn the pages, turn the stone  
Behind the door, should I open it for you...  
What I've felt, what I've known  
Sick and tired, I stand alone  
Could you be there, 'cause I'm the one who waits for you  
Or are you unforgiven too?

-Metallica, Unforgiven II

Courage was walking back to the farmhouse, Eustace fainted when he saw the sight of his mother maimed, and he needed a good walk anyhow.

Just as he got into town someone walked in front of him…Katz did, he stood his ground and looked at Courage with his empty emotionless yellow eyes.

"So my dear boy, you got rid all three of them didn't you?"

Courage didn't move or speak, his entire body was numb.

"…they were useless anyhow, now that their dead…I can kill you myself."

Suddenly he regained his motor functions, and lunged after Katz, who stepped aside blocking his attack with ease.

"Now, now Courage…"

Saying his name made him feel like a coward, though his past as a coward has been shattered.

"…why?" was the only word he could say.

"Why Muriel, why her why ME, WHY DO YOU TORMENT ME!?"

Tears were rolling down his face as anger and sadness ran through his body…Katz stood unamused.

"Why my dear boy…for revenge." Courage's eyes shot open.

"REVENGE, what did I ever do to deserve this?"

Katz closed his eyes.

"Four years ago, when your mother was still pregnant with you, I was but a mere kitten, but my parents cared for me with all their heart, yours and my parents were the best of friends, I would visit everyday with my parents and think how one day you would become my friend, but is was one fateful day that changed everything."

Katz opened his eyes and starred at Courage.

"It was one day, we were in the park, your parents were with us, it was then that we were stopped by that madman Dr. Teenytodd."

Courage's heart skipped a beat, horrifying memories still haunted him.

"Yes, the very same Dr. who sent your parents to space…but he had a different experiment for cats.

_Flashback_

"Come on father hurry up."

A kitten said with anxiousness in his voice.

"Hold on son, we need to wait for Henry and Lily."

An older cat said who bore a striking resemblance to Katz.

"Alright father…hey mother?"

"Yes dear?"

"When the baby's born I can play with him right?"

"Of course you can honey."

The three cats and two dogs walked to the local park, once they got there they sat on a bench and watched young Katz sit and admired the flowers and birds, he was always a solitaire child, keeping to himself most of the time.

"He grows up so fast."

"Yep, hard to believe he's already eight."

Suddenly Lily held her stomach area, where the womb was.

"Ohh…the baby kicked."

"Really?"

Henry put his paw on Lily's stomach.

"One day, our baby will grow up to be something really special."

Then out of nowhere a certain Doctor walked in front of them, holding a net and an eerie toothy smile.

"…can we help you?" Henry said feeling a little awkward, the doctor then chuckled.

"Yes…yes you can."

He then grabbed his net and captured all of them, then he left in a hurry, their screaming caught young Katz's attention, and looked in horror.

"MOTHER, FATHER!"

The little kitten saw his parents being carried away, he ran and followed the doctor to the place called "Pets of tomorrow", and into his secret laboratory like room, but with cell rooms, he chained Henry and Lily to the wall with neck braces.

"Now you stay here while I check on those cats."

Henry grew worried. "Damn, this isn't good."

"What should we do?"

Then Henry squeezed out of his iron neck brace, while the doctor examined the cats.

"Well now, what fine specimens I caught, you will be tested on a newfound chemical I discovered, for any health hazards and what not."

He strapped the cats to a table chair, with a syringe filled with a illumines emerald liquid, then the doctor herd noises of rattling chains and scampering, he quickly left to the other room, just as he did Katz came out of hiding.

"Oh my gosh, mom, dad."

He desperately tried to break the straps but his efforts were in vain.

"Katz…my son, go now."

"But dad?" the kitten protested.

"Just go…NOW!"

The kitten reluctantly followed his father's orders and climbed into an air vent, just as the doctor came in…looking rather unsatisfied.

"…Cursed mutts, well…at least I have you two."

Then Katz wondered, if they got free they'll send for help…right? They wouldn't just leave them, then Katz watched the doctor inject the unknown liquid into his parents, wails of pain echoed as his parents screamed, then their body's began to violently shake in a seizure of anguish, blood began pouring out of every orifice then they limped over lifeless.

"Hmm, this chemical is obviously fatal when ingested."

Katz was stunned, he felt as his entire body weight collapsed on him, tears rolled down his face.

"…no….NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!"

_end flashback_

Courage starred in astonishment.

"It was also then, that I found out you were born, everyday I see you playing with your mother and father, then I grew up envying you, worshiping you…and despising you."

Courage's face was still shocked.

"Then two years later, I found out that your parents were launched into space, then I grew happy…because I knew you would feel my pain, but that was crushed when Muriel found you…it wasn't fair, you had someone who cared for you, someone to care for, even more crushing was when I herd you launched the doctor into space, avenging our parents, knowing you did that just added another needle to my heart."

Then Courage finally spoke "…why did you kill Muriel?" then Katz raised his voice to the point of yelling.

"BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS COULD OF SAVED MINE, no one needed to die that day, but your parents left them to die."

"No, they would never…"

"But they did…tomorrow I'm going to kill you…and end this."

Katz walked off, leaving Courage behind.


	8. Circle of Vengeance

-1**Ch. 8: Circle of vengeance**

Courage walked back home and immediately went to sleep.

When he woke up he noticed a note under the wooden door, telling him to go to the abandoned vet, he crushed the note in his paws and looked to the sky, a lovely light blue, and headed to the cursed vet, rage built up inside him and every step closer brought back more haunting memories until he finally made it.

"I'm here, come on out!" he shouted as he walked into the vet, then awaited Katz.

"I'm surprised, you made it." his fingers twitched with eagerness, he was finally going to kill him, then Courage gave him a death look.

"Now you're going to pay."

_Give me the dust of my fathers_

Courage runs towards Katz and leaps on top of him, his claws barely misses Katz' jugular vein, then Katz grabs him by his throat and began crushing his larynx.

_Stand on the face of the ancients_

Gagging for breath he desperately tried to break his hold, struggling he dug his claws into Katz' wrist, he grunted and released, but threw him across the room.

_Bare the secret flesh of time itself_

Courage got up and growled, pure adrenaline ran through his body, he ran and made another attempt to attack.

_Follow me; I've come so far I'm behind again_

Courage leaped but Katz moved and grabbed his leg, and with all his might slammed him on the ground.

_Follow me, I wish so hard I'm there again_

He grabbed his hand and pulled him down and slashed his cheek, knowing he drew first blood he then dug his claws into his shoulder, blood began seeping out and drip to the floor, he didn't stop, he wanted Katz to suffer, he wanted him to feel more than pain…but then he stopped…and began to shed tears.

_Follow me…_

He quickly retracted his claws and began full out crying.

_All that I wanted were the things I had before_

Katz couldn't believe it, he was almost a little angry that he would do such a thing at a time like this, then Courage Starred at Katz, "Why are we doing this, why… why the hell are we fighting?"

_All that I needed, I never needed more_

"ARE YOU INSANE BOY!?" he pushed Courage off him and slammed him against a wall, pinning him.

_All of my questions were answers to my sins_

Courage started to bleed from his mouth, but his eyes still misty with swelled up tears, "Tell me a good reason why we're fighting."

_All of my endings are waiting to begin _

"Because you must pay, you must feel my pain, every needle, every scar, ALL OF IT!"

_I know the way but I falter_

Then Courage pushed him off and reversed the hold, pinning Katz to the wall.

_I can't be afraid of my patience _

"We don't have to fight, we can end this here." Katz starred at him, then he began to laugh.

_There's a sacred place Razel keeps safe_

Katz continued to laugh and he smiled, "You're right, it does end here, because I'll kill you!" he shoved Courage off him, then his laughter began to muffle/

_Follow me, I've seen so much I'm blind again_

Katz starred at Courage, then he too began to tear, then he reached for something in his coat…

_Follow me, I feel so bad I'm alive again_

"This is for my parents." Courage saw that the object was Dr. Gerbil's liquid nitrogen bomb; he held it tight, "I'm afraid this is the end for you my dear boy."

_Follow me…_

Katz then threw the bomb, a very powerful explosion then came, knocking both Katz and Courage off balance, blinding smoke covered the vet and the temperature dropped rabidly and the room began to freeze.

_All that I wanted were the things I had before_

Courage regained his balance; he scanned the scenery to find it half frozen and a nearby thermometer read 20 degrees and dropping.

_All that I needed I never needed more_

"Damn, hypothermia could take effect any second now." then he saw Katz struggling to get up. "I'm not going to die here alone boy."

_All of my questions were answers to my sins_

Katz walked over to the now shivering dog, then grabbed him by the neck, "Now my dear boy, prepare for…for…" Then he dropped him, his energy was slowly draining, then Courage saw the chance and took it.

_All of my endings are waiting to begin_

"Katz, just listen to me." Katz starred with his empty yellow eyes.

"Even if you kill me, it wouldn't bring back your parents, I would know, when I launched that doctor into space it still never brought them back, besides, how would they look at you now?"

Katz' eyes widened.

"A heartless monster searching for mindless vengeance, I know how you feel, but Muriel wouldn't want me to kill, now its too late, nothing I say can change the past, but that does not mean we can't change the future for both of us."

Katz starred at him; his lifelong enemy was comforting him?

"Why…why are you doing this?"

Courage starred back…and smiled, the same heartwarming smile Katz despised yet grew fond to.

"Because…that's what friends do for each other."

Did his ears deceive him?

"Did…you just say friends?" Courage nodded.

"Look Katz, you were right, no one needed to die that day, but it happened and we have to put the past behind us, your parents are gone and so are mine, but that doesn't mean you go out and kill people for revenge, I found that out the hard way…so like I said, lets end…this…uhhh…"

Courage fainted due to the conditions, Katz gasped and with his last ounce of strength dragged both of them out to the warm afternoon sun, after a few minuets the color returned to Courage's cheeks and his body temperature returned to normal, he awoke and saw Katz by his side.

"You…saved me." he said weakly.

"Well…that's what friends do for each other, right?" and finally, he smiled, a happy smile.

"…I'm tired of this game for vengeance." Katz said.

"Me too." Courage agreed.

As courage got up the both walked up and out of town.

"You know, you're not so bad…for a dog I mean."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

Katz chuckled.

"Oh never mind."

THE END

_Lyrics © Slipknot: circle_


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